Roman Alésia Cup Silvered Bronze Replica By Barbedienne For Napoleon III

CUP CALLED “D'ALÉSIA”
F. Barbedienne for Napoleon III
1866 Paris France
Cup in silvered bronze, chiseled by Désiré Attarge after an antique model from the 1st century, known as the Coupe d'Alésia or Canthare d'Alise- Sainte-Reine, now kept at the Museum of National Antiquities, Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
The archaeological excavations of Alise-Sainte-Reine were carried out from 1861 to 1865 by order of Napoleon III to find traces of the Siege of Alésia. F. Barbedienne was authorized by the emperor to make a cast of the canthare in order to provide him with an exact replica for the Dijon Museum. The same document authorized him to reproduce this work for his customers. Several examples are known today, including one exhibited at the Château de Compiègne and one at the Musée d'Orsay. A similar cup was presented at the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1878 on the stand of F. Barbedienne.

Our cup is one of the rare first replicas published for Napoleon III, documented on the base, it is mounted on a black marble pedestal bearing silver metal plaques inscribed with the provenance.

Total height: 27 cm
Width with handles: 19cm
Diameter couple: 11cm
Height cup only: 11cm
good condition